1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to refuse compactors and in particular to control means for use therein for preventing undesirable malfunctioning or undesirable functioning of the compactor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the U.S. Pat. No 3,613,560 of Michael J. Bottas et al., which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, a refuse compactor is disclosed having a receptacle safety switch which is arranged to be closed only when the receptacle is substantially in the fully closed position, thereby preventing undesirable operation of the ram whenever the receptacle is not in proper compacting position within the cabinet.
In copending U.S. patent application Ser. No 597,405 of Charles R. Difley et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,216 which application is owned by the assignee hereof, a refuse compactor control is disclosed having a plurality of switches and structure for actuating the switches under different conditions, including a tilted condition and a displacement of the receptacle from the compacting position generally similar to the displacement switch of the Bottas et al. patent discussed above. In the Difley et al. patent, the switches are juxtaposed for operation by an acutator having a plurality of different operating portions for acutating the different switches under different conditions of the compactor.
In the event that the receptacle is tilted as by an uneven distribution of refuse in the receptacle, causing the ram to wedge or force the receptacle angularly during the compacting operation, it is desirable to automatically stop further compaction and permit the retraction of the ram to permit the user to withdraw the receptacle to redistribute the refuse therein to permit a more uniform distribution of the refuse in the receptacle whereupon a subsequent compaction operation may proceed without further undesirable tilting of the receptacle.
It is conventional to provide a manual control for effecting such a withdrawal of the ram upon the stopping of the compacting operation by the tilt switch. A problem arises, however, should the receptacle not only move sufficiently to open the tilt switch, but move somewhat further to open the receptacle safety switch. Under these conditions, power to the ram drive is interrupted and the user is therefore unable to retract the ram from the drawer.
A number of different devices have been provided in the prior art for controlling compacting drives. Thus, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,316,734 of Mansel S. Wells, a can crusher and baler is disclosed which is provided with an outlet closure having means for preventing the ram from being operated in the power stroke while the outlet closure is in an open position.
Victor F. Schuerman et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,084, show a compactor cycle control having safety interlock switches to assure that the machine can be operated only with the mechanism properly enclosed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,295 Einar O. Engebretsen discloses a compactor having an interlock automatically actuated by the initial downward movement of the ram to lock the receptacle in position beneath the ram.
Einar O. Engebretsen et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,453, show a compacting machine having a safety switch which prevents operation of the ram unless the door is closed and the receptacle is in the compacting position. The switch is bypassed once the ram enters the receptacle.